Santorini Caldera
LocationAegean Sea, Greece
Geology
Mountain typeCaldera (active)
Last eruptionJanuary to February 1950

What happened in the Santorini eruption?

In 1646 BC a massive volcanic eruption, perhaps one of the largest ever witnessed by mankind, took place at Thera (present day Santorini), an island in the Aegean not far from Crete. Possibly as many as 20,000 people were killed as a result of the volcanic explosion.

Is Santorini a supervolcano?

Santorini is a volcanic Island group at the central south end of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea (Greece). As a popular tourist destination in Greece, it is renowned for its spectacular sea-filled volcanic caldera sourrounded by steep colorful cliffs, the beauty of its villages and fields.

Is Santorini Atlantis?

Santorini has often been connected with Atlantis, the legendary continent that plunged to the bottom of the sea while it was at its zenith. Finds from the excavations at Akrotiri have led scholars to conclude that the lost Atlantis was none other than Santorini.

What is Plinian lava?

Plinian eruptions or Vesuvian eruptions are volcanic eruptions marked by their similarity to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, which destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii. The longer eruptions begin with production of clouds of volcanic ash, sometimes with pyroclastic surges.

When was the last Plinian eruption?

The Plinian eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines on June 15, 1991, was the second largest eruption of the 20th century, and it generated both Plinian and co-PDC plumes (Holasek et al., 1996; Koyaguchi and Tokuno, 1993).

When was the last time Santorini erupted?

Santorini. Post-Minoan eruptions beginning in 197 BCE constructed a series of lava domes and flows that form two islands near the center of the caldera. A submarine eruption took place in 1650 CE outside the caldera NE of Thera. The latest eruption produced a small lava dome and flow in 1950, accompanied by explosive activity.

What is the history of Santorini?

Around 1620 BC, the fourth (and latest) major eruption created the present-day islands and caldera bay of Santorini Volcano. The caldera rim is clearly visible in this image as a steep cliff forming the western shoreline of the island of Thera.

What are the black lava flows in Santorini’s Caldera Bay?

The black lava flows that descend into Santorini’s caldera bay are the Dafni lavas, erupted during 1925-26. During this eruption, which began in August 1925 and lasted until January 1926, Nea Kameni became a single island as the Dafni lavas united Mikra Kameni, Nea Kameni and Georgios domes.

When was the last time Greece had a volcanic eruption?

The most recent volcanic eruption in Greece was that which shook Santorini early in January, 1950. There had been advance warning in the form of seismic events since the previous August.